OBJECTIVETo compare the efficacy difference among acupuncture smoothing-liver and regulating-spleen method, regulating Governor Vessel method and oral administration of western medicine for menopausal insomnia.

METHODSOne hundred and fifty-six cases of menopausal insomnia were randomized into a smoothing-liver and regulating-spleen group (group A), a regulating Governor Vessel group (group B) and a medication group (group C), 52 cases in each one. Acupuncture at Zhongwan (CV 12), Daheng (SP 15), Sanyinjiao (SP 6) and Taichong (LR 3), etc. was applied in the group A; acupuncture at Baihui (GV 20), Fengfu (GV 16), Shenting (GV 24) and Yintang (GV 29), etc. was used in the group B; oral administration of estazolam tablets (1 mg each-day) was adapted in the group C, all once a day for totally 30 days. The each item score and total score in Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) were evaluated before and after treatment in each group, also the efficacy in each group was assessed.

RESULTSAfter the treatment, the sleeping rate in the group A and B was significantly higher than that in the group C (both P < 0.05); the total effective rate in the Group A and B was also significantly higher than that in the group C [86.5% (45/52) and 82.7% (43/52) vs 63.5% (33/52), both P < 0.05; the total cured rate in the group A was significantly higher than those in the group B and C [48.1% (25/52) vs 23.1% (12/52) and 25.0% (13/52), both P < 0.05]. Each item score and total score of PSQI were all improved after treatment in the group A and B (P < 0.01, P < 0.05), while only sleeping time, sleeping efficiency and total score were improved in the group C (all P < 0.05). The sleeping quality, sleeping time, sleeping difficulty and daytime dysfunction in the group A were all lower than those in the group C (all P < 0.05). The sleeping quality, sleeping time and daytime dysfunction in the goup B were all lower than those in the group C (all P < 0.05). The total score in the group A was significantly lower than that in the group B and C (both P < 05).

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture has better effect for menopausal insomnia than estazolam. Between the two acupuncture methods, the acupuncture method of smoothing-liver and regulating-spleen has a better effect.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Liver ; physiopathology ; Menopause ; physiology ; Meridians ; Middle Aged ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Spleen ; physiopathology

Angiopoietins ; metabolism ; physiology ; Animals ; Cell Proliferation ; Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; physiology ; Humans ; Neoplasms ; blood supply ; Neovascularization, Pathologic ; physiopathology ; Neovascularization, Physiologic ; physiology ; Pericytes ; cytology ; metabolism ; physiology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-sis ; metabolism ; physiology ; Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor beta ; metabolism ; physiology ; Receptor, TIE-2 ; metabolism ; physiology ; Signal Transduction

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of calorie restriction on the high fat diet rats mRNA expressions of liver forkhead box O1(FoxO1), phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK), glucose-6-phosphatase (G-6-P) and to explore the possible mechanisms.

METHODS24 normal 6-week-old male Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups: normal chow group (NC, n = 7), high fat diet group (HF, n = 9) and calorie restriction group (CR, n = 8). They were fed for 12 weeks. At the end of the experiment, the rats were sacrificed and their fasting blood glucose (FBG), insulin (INS), triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC) were measured. Their visceral fat (VF) and body weight (BW) were also measured and VF/BW was calculated. Gene expression was investigated by using semi-quantitative RT-PCR methods. Liver histology was studied with HE stained slides.

RESULTSCompared with the NC group, HF group rats developed visceral obesity which was accompanied by higher FBG, plasma INS, TG, and TC. The levels of FoxO1, PEPCK, and G-6-P increased by 18.9%, 33.8%, and 24.6%, respectively (P less than 0.01). Liver steatosis was observed with microscopy. The BW, VF FBG, INS, TG and TC of the CR group rats were lower in comparison to those of the HF group. The levels of FoxO1, PEPCK and G-6-P were lower by 26.6%, 35.0%, 34.3% (P less than 0.01). Meanwhile, liver steatosis was also milder.

CONCLUSIONCalorie restriction can inhibit the expressions of FoxO1, PEPCK and G-6-P, strengthen insulin signal conduction, suppress gluconeogenesis and thus regulate glycometabolism.

Animals ; Caloric Restriction ; Dietary Fats ; Forkhead Transcription Factors ; genetics ; Gene Expression Regulation ; Gluconeogenesis ; genetics ; Glucose-6-Phosphatase ; genetics ; Liver ; metabolism ; Male ; Nerve Tissue Proteins ; genetics ; Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxykinase (ATP) ; genetics ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

To clone the 2-C-methyl-D-erythritol 4-phosphate cytidylyltransferase (TwMCT) full length cDNA from Tripterygium wilfordii, the specific primers were designed according to the transcriptome data and the LCPCR were carried out. After a series of bioinformatics analysis on the TwMCT, the MeJA induced expression content were investigated by real-time fluorescence quantification polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). The result showed that the full of TwMCTcDNA was 1 318 bp nucleotides encoding 311 amino acids. The molecular weight of the deduced TwMCT protein was about 34.14 kDa and the theoretical isoelectric point was 8.65. Result of the RT-qPCR analysis indicated that the content of TwMCT mRNA expression in T. wilfordii suspension cell was rising after treating with MeJA and reached the maximum in 24 h. Cloning and analyzing TwMCT gene from T. wilfordii provided gene element for studying the function and expression regulation of secondary metabolites.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Cloning, Molecular ; Erythritol ; analogs & derivatives ; metabolism ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Nucleotidyltransferases ; chemistry ; genetics ; metabolism ; Phylogeny ; Plant Proteins ; chemistry ; genetics ; metabolism ; Protein Structure, Secondary ; Sequence Alignment ; Sugar Phosphates ; metabolism ; Tripterygium ; chemistry ; enzymology ; genetics

Blood Grouping and Crossmatching ; DNA ; blood ; Female ; Fetus ; metabolism ; Humans ; Maternal-Fetal Exchange ; Pregnancy ; blood ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; Sex Determination Analysis

OBJECTIVESTo investigate whether antisense Bmi-1 plasmid could inhibit the proliferation of Jurkat cells.

METHODSThe antisense plasmid was constructed by PCR amplification of a 171 bp segment spanning Bmi-1 start codon and zinc finger structure and the PCR product was subsequently inserted reversely to plasmid pLNCX2. The final construct was confirmed through restriction enzyme digestion. G418 was added into the medium after the plasmid was successfully introduced into Jurkat cells by using lipofectin-mediated DNA transfection. The proliferation of Jurkat cells were determined by MTT and colony formation assays. Cell cycle was determined by flow cytometry. The p16 expression of Jurkat cells was studied by immunofluorescent histochemistry.

RESULTSThe growth rate of antisense Bmi-1 transfected Jurkat cells was significantly lower than that of the controls, and the colony forming capacity of the transfected cells decreased significantly (P < 0.01), the colony numbers being (90.7 +/- 9.07)/10(3) cells, (83.3 +/- 6.11)/10(3) cells and (56.0 +/- 5.56)/10(3) cells for control cells, empty plasmid transfected Jurkat cells and antisense Bmi-1 transfected Jurkat cells, respectively. The percentage of G, phase cells was increased and the p16 expression of antisense Bmi-1 transfected cells was significantly upregulated than that of control cells.

CONCLUSIONAntisense Bmi-1 can inhibit the growth and upregulate the expression of p16 of Jurkat cells in vitro.

Cell Cycle ; Cell Proliferation ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Genetic Vectors ; Humans ; Jurkat Cells ; Nuclear Proteins ; genetics ; Oligonucleotides, Antisense ; genetics ; Plasmids ; genetics ; Polycomb Repressive Complex 1 ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins ; genetics ; Repressor Proteins ; genetics ; Transfection

Adenocarcinoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Adenocarcinoma, Clear Cell ; metabolism ; pathology ; Adult ; CA-125 Antigen ; metabolism ; Carcinoembryonic Antigen ; metabolism ; Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Cystadenocarcinoma, Serous ; metabolism ; pathology ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Ki-67 Antigen ; metabolism ; Lymph Node Excision ; Membrane Proteins ; metabolism ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery

Objective To detect the levels of five trace elements in whole blood of patients with Keshan disease(KSD) and dilated cardiomyopathy(DCM) and explore their role in the pathogenesis of KSD.Methods One hundred and four patients with chronic KSD were selected from Keshan diseased areas in Shandong,Sichuan and Inner Mongolia.Thirty patients with DCM were selected from Qilu Hospital of Shandong University,Jinan Central Hospital,The First People's Hospital.Ninety-one healthy people from KSD endemic areas and 39 healthy people from Jinan were selected as endemic healthy controls and non-endemic healthy controls,respectively.Blood samples were collected to determinate the level of selenium (Se),copper (Cu),zinc (Zn),chromium (Cr) and manganese (Mn) with fluorescence method and atomic absorption spectrometry,according to the principle of informed consent.Results The level of Se,Zn and Cr of KSD group[(36.0 + 4.9)μg/L,(22.73 + 4.62)mg/L,(0.56 + 0.17)mg/L] was significantly lower than that of non-endemic healthy controls [(56.4 ± 6.8)lμg/L,(25.35 ± 4.44)mg/L,(0.71 ± 0.17)mg/L,all P ＜ 0.05],but the level of Cu of KSD group[(0.95 ± 0.24)mg/L] was significantly higher than that of non-endemic healthy controls[(0.73 ± 0.13) mg/L,all P ＜ 0.05].The level of Se and Cr of KSD was significantly lower than that of endemic healthy controls[(54.5 ± 5.4)μg/L,(0.87 ± 0.02)mg/L,P ＜ 0.05],and Cu was significantly higher than that of endemic healthy controls[(0.66 ± 0.02)mg/L,P ＜ 0.05].The level of Cu and Zn of KSD was significantly lower than that of DCM [(1.21 ± 0.23)mg/L,(27.09 ± 7.10)mg/L,all P ＜ 0.01].The level of Se and Cr of DCM group[(39.6 ± 3.5)μg/L,(0.58 ± 0.14)mg/L] was significantly lower than that of non-endemic healthy controls(all P ＜ 0.01),but Cu[(1.21 + 0.23)mg/L] was significantly increased (P ＜ 0.01).Compared with non-endemic healthy controls,the level of Se of endemic healthy control group was significantly decreased (P ＜ 0.01),while Cu was significantly increased (P ＜ 0.01).Se,Zn and Cr level of KSD decreased gradually following elevated heart function level,but the level of Cu gradually increased.Conclusions The metabolism of Se,Cr,Cu and Zn is unbalanced in KSD patients,whose Se level is still lower than that of people in non-endemic areas.The change of Se,Cr,Cu and Mn level between KSD and DCM is consistent.

Albuminuria ; drug therapy ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; complications ; drug therapy ; Diabetic Nephropathies ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Tetrazoles ; therapeutic use

OBJECTIVETo search for the possible relation between tortilcollis and partial chromosome 13q trisomy.

METHODSFluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) technique combined with chromosome banding was performed to determine the karyotype of two patients with typical clinical features of partial 13q trisomy syndrome, then their manifestations were compared with those of the literatures published previously.

RESULTSThe two cases were partial trisomy of 13q14--> ter with a different second derivative chromosome, in spite of this difference, both of them had tortilcollis.

CONCLUSIONIt is suggested that a potential site for tortilcollis may locate on the long arm of chromosome 13. With reference to a report previously published, the more precise candidate related region may be 13q32--> qter.

Child ; Chromosome Banding ; Chromosome Deletion ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 13 ; genetics ; Cytogenetics ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; Karyotyping ; Male ; Torticollis ; genetics ; Trisomy ; genetics